In the past, many attempts have been made to improve the ability of fishing lures to attract fish by enhancing the reflective or illuminative properties of the lures. For example, electrically powered lights, florescent paint and chemiluminescent capsules have been used. The capsules typically comprise a sealed glass tube containing a first chemical housed within an outer resilient plastic tube. A second chemical is housed intermediate the tubes. By bending the outer resilient tube, the inner glass tube can be broken to allow the two chemicals to mix and react, causing the illumination of the capsule. Chemiluminescent capsules of this type are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,576,987 to Voight, et al.
While small chemiluminescent capsules are desirable for use with fishing lures because they overcome the problems inherent with electrical and florescent systems, the use of such capsules has been hampered by the lack of an adequate means to readily attach and detach the capsules to the fishing lure and to maintain the capsule in place under the normal forces encountered on the lure during usage.
When the lure is a jig, other problems exist. A jig generally has an elongated, fish-shaped body manufactured from lead with a longitudinal bore extending from a forward end to a rearward end of the body. The bore is sized to slidably receive a fishing line. The jig rides on the fishing line just above the hook tied to the free end of the line, with a rubber cushion positioned between the jig and the hook. As will be described below, the jig tends to move back and forth along the line during use and the cushion absorbs some of the shock when the jig engages the hook and inhibits its further downward movement on the line.
To use a jig, the fisherman raises his fishing rod upward pulling the jig a short distance toward the surface, and then lowers the rod allowing the jig to fall free under its own weight until the fishing line again becomes taut. During this process, the jig generally rides up and down along the fishing line and rotates about the fishing line, causing chaffing of the line. If the jig wobbles laterally back and forth on the line as it passes through the water, additional chaffing results, particularly in the areas where the fishing line exits the ends of the jig. With enough chaffing, the fishing line is weakened to the point that it breaks under the force of a fish strike or while the fish is being pulled in. If the jig does not slide freely enough along the line, its action will not be as effective and it will not move away from the hook when a fish strikes. If the fish manages to bite not only the hook but also the lower end of the jig, the fish can throw the jig. The jig can actually assist the fish work the hook loose from its mouth. With the jig moved away from the fish, it is much more difficult for the fish to apply any force on the hook which might cause it to dislodge.
In the past, the bore in the lead body was manufactured by pouring molten lead around a wire. When the lead cooled, the wire would be pulled out leaving a long, thin body bore. Pulling the wire out was sometimes difficult, requiring great force and the bore that resulted was not as smooth as desired.
It will be appreciated that there has been a need for a fishing jig which eliminates the chaffing problem and provides improved action. Moreover, the jig should have convenient illumination means which produces a light attractive to fish. The present invention fulfills these needs and further provides other related advantages.